The following is a transcript of an interview with GOP Rep. Chris Stewart of Utah that aired on Sunday, Jan. 15, 2023, on “Face the Nation.”
MARGARET BRENNAN: And we flip now to Republican Congressman Chris Stewart of Utah. Good morning to you, sir.
REP. CHRIS STEWART (R-UTAH): Good morning.
MARGARET BRENNAN: You sit on the Intelligence Committee, which has requested for extra info from the Director of National Intelligence in regard to the Biden paperwork. But once you had been on Act Daily News final week, you mentioned you actually doubt that there is one thing that would endanger nationwide safety right here. Do you assume that is simply an overreaction to the story?
REP. STEWART: No, I do not. I imply, I do assume it is unlikely that, you recognize, when President Trump had this related expertise, a number of the media and others claimed, oh, he has nuclear codes, nuclear secrets and techniques. I mentioned on the time, I discover that terribly unlikely. And I believe that the identical factor can be true of this case.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, there–
REP. STEWART: Probably not that kind of- that kind of knowledge. But if I may make this level in a short time about, you recognize, the probability of him being unaware of this, I imply, not solely am I on the Intelligence Committee, I used to be an Air Force pilot, I flew the B-1, I’ve dealt with- with categorised paperwork nearly my total life. And it’s important to know, each certainly one of these paperwork, they’ve a canopy sheet that is that is learn. It says what the classification is and why it is categorised. Every single web page has a classification marking on it. This is not the sort of factor that you just simply sit in your desk and also you assume, Oh, I forgot that they are categorised. It’s very clear that they are categorised. And for individuals who assume that, nicely, the President did not understand that he had these in his possession. It simply is nonsense. Of course, he knew that he had them. They’re so apparent.
MARGARET BRENNAN: And you are making use of that normal to each instances right here. CBS is reporting that there was high secret info within the paperwork present in Biden’s possession. You advised Act Daily News that there could also be much more delicate info at larger classification than that. TS/SCI. Do you recognize that to be a reality? Were you knowledgeable of that?
REP. STEWART: No, we do not know that but. Although it is been- it has been reported, however it might be very, essential. I imply, SCI, Special Compartmented Information, it limits it to a couple dozen individuals, in some instances, some instances even much less. That can be extraordinary if that was the case.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Because that was what we have now reported. Was that within the Trump case, that there was TS/SCI, that classification stage. The Office of the Director of National Intelligence has determined to not touch upon these issues at this level, have they knowledgeable your committee once you may get some sort of replace or briefing both on the forty fifth president or the present one?
REP. STEWART: Yeah, nicely, we do know this, the Director of National Intelligence can select to not remark to the American individuals. But she will be able to’t select to not remark to us. We have requested an evaluation of those paperwork, the potential hurt that they could have brought on. And I anticipate that we’ll obtain that inside the subsequent few weeks. And we should always obtain that within the subsequent few weeks. If these paperwork had been accessible for an extended time frame, in such an open surroundings as a storage for heaven’s sakes. Now I perceive the storage was locked because the President made the purpose. But nonetheless they had been accessible. It’s vital for us to grasp the potential harm to those paperwork and these paperwork being accessible, it could have brought on to the American and American safety.
MARGARET BRENNAN: So what do you anticipate to get within the subsequent few weeks? Because I perceive the director has not but briefed on the Trump case.
REP. STEWART: Yeah, once more, we anticipate to have an evaluation of what these paperwork had been, the classification of them, the fabric that was included in them and potential safety breaches and the risk to nationwide safety on account of these paperwork not being secured.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Okay, I need to transfer on to different issues, as a result of I perceive you are additionally on the Appropriations Committee. The Treasury secretary says we’re gonna hit that debt ceiling on the nineteenth and have to enter extraordinary measures to ensure the federal authorities pays payments right here. Can you- are you able to assure that Republicans will work with Democrats to ensure we do not set off an financial disaster?
REP. STEWART: Well, we actually need to work with them. And we hope that they will work with us and the President will work with us. Look, I’m not a fan of presidency shutdowns. I truthfully do not know anybody who’s. It would not assist. On the opposite hand, I do need to make this level, it is so vital, look, the explanation that we’re coping with inflation that we’re, which has been generational, and it is price remembering that it hurts the poorest amongst us. The working poor are those that are most impacted by inflation, and the first trigger, in truth, I’d argue nearly the one trigger is authorities spending and authorities debt–
MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, it is a pile of points that we have coated in depth on this program. But on this situation, coping with your work in Congress, are you able to avert having the credit- credit score worthiness within the United States known as into query, if, you recognize, by really coming to an settlement to cope with this situation earlier than we get to a place of speaking a couple of authorities shutdown?
REP. STEWART: Yeah, nicely, I believe that we are able to and we should always, however to complete by the purpose as a result of it is really related to your query about inflation as a result of authorities spending, if that is true, and it’s true then it’s important to perceive there might be Republicans who will say, we have to reform. We want to make use of this as a car to attempt to put some limits on our spending and our debt and our deficits. And I’m certainly one of them. And there are various others who might be, so the query that you have requested now could be, are these two rules, you recognize, the actual fact we have to reform and minimize our deficits in our spending, can we reconcile that with on the similar time, we do not need to hurt the credit score the United States authorities. That’s our aim. I believe Republicans are aligned on that. I hope the president is as nicely. And hopefully we get to settlement on that.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Hopefully. I need to ask you about George Santos, as you heard me ask your democratic colleague. Can an elected official who’s below that many investigations be trusted as a lawmaker? Should he resign?
REP. STEWART: Well, it is a onerous query. Look, I do not know Mr. Santos, I’ve by no means had an opportunity to speak with him. As you observe–
MARGARET BRENNAN: Do you might want to speak to him to have a solution to that query?
REP. STEWART:
Well, no, I do not, which is, as I used to be simply gonna say, as you observe this, it is fairly onerous to not conclude he is a little bit of a goofball. He clearly lied to his constituents. And to your level as nicely, it may be very, very troublesome for him to realize the belief of his colleagues. And I do not know what he’ll do. I imply, the truth is, is you’ll be able to’t expel a member of Congress. At the top of the day, it truly is as much as the voters in Nassau County. I can inform you this, if I had been in that state of affairs, I do not understand how I may proceed to serve and I had- I suppose you might want to ask that very same query.
MARGARET BRENNAN: We will proceed to ask that. Congressman, thanks on your time this morning. We’ll be again in a minute. Stay with us.